A stereo vehicle exterior monitoring apparatus monitoring surroundings of a vehicle using stereo cameras constituted of a pair of infrared cameras has been known.
The apparatus calculates distance data with the use of the stereo infrared cameras and monitors a target based on the calculated distance data. According to this conventional technique, stereo (that is, a plurality of) infrared cameras are required and there is a room for improvement in cost for mounting.
The object above can be achieved, for example, as follows.
An exemplary embodiment provides a non-transitory storage medium encoded with a computer readable image processing program executed by a computer. The image processing program causes the computer to perform functionality including obtaining an infrared image of a subject and determining a position of the subject included in the infrared image based on brightness and a size of a prescribed region of the subject within the infrared image.
In the exemplary embodiment, the step of determining the position may determine a relative position of the subject with a reference position.
In the exemplary embodiment, the step of determining the position may include determining the reference position based on an infrared image corresponding to the subject positioned in a reference state.
In the exemplary embodiment, the step of determining the position may include determining a position of the subject based on the brightness of the prescribed region at the time when the size of the prescribed region satisfies a prescribed condition.
In the exemplary embodiment, the step of determining the position may include determining a depth position of the subject in a direction of image pick-up by an image pick-up portion which obtains the infrared image, based on the brightness and the size of the prescribed region.
In the exemplary embodiment, the step of determining the position may include determining the depth position and determining a position on a surface orthogonal to the direction of the subject based on a position of the prescribed region within the infrared image.
In the exemplary embodiment, the step of determining the position may include specifying a region of the subject from the infrared image and specifying the prescribed region in accordance with the specified region.
In the exemplary embodiment, the step of specifying the region may include specifying the prescribed region of the subject based on at least a part of a shape which the subject intrinsically has.
In the exemplary embodiment, the step of determining the position may include determining a position of the subject when the brightness of the prescribed region and the size of the prescribed region satisfy prescribed relation.
In the exemplary embodiment, the step of determining the position may include determining the position of the subject when change over time in brightness of the prescribed region and change over time in size of the prescribed region maintain the prescribed relation.
In the exemplary embodiment, the step of determining the position may include determining the position of the subject when magnitude of change over time in brightness of the prescribed region and magnitude of change over time in size of the prescribed region maintain the prescribed relation.
In the exemplary embodiment, the step of determining the position may include outputting change over time in position of the subject.
In the exemplary embodiment, the step of obtaining the image may include obtaining an infrared image which is picked up during emission of infrared rays to the subject.
An exemplary embodiment provides an information processing system. The information processing system includes an image pick-up portion which picks up an image of infrared light from a subject and a processing portion which determines a position of the subject included in the infrared image based on brightness and a size of a prescribed region of the subject within the infrared image obtained as a result of image pick-up by the image pick-up portion.
An exemplary embodiment provides an information processing apparatus. The information processing apparatus includes an image obtaining module that obtains an infrared image of a subject and a position determination module that determines a position of the subject included in the infrared image based on brightness and a size of a prescribed region of the subject within the infrared image.
An exemplary embodiment provides an information processing method. The image processing method includes obtaining an infrared image of a subject and determining a position of the subject included in the infrared image based on brightness and a size of a prescribed region of the subject within the infrared image.
The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the exemplary embodiments will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.